The Charge

His bark is just as bad as his bite.

The Case

Dog Chapman and his gang are back in action for another round of crime
fighting in A&E's Dog the Bounty Hunter: This Family Means Business.
This time around, television's most popular bounty hunter gets to celebrate his
two hundredth episode. Besides a special retrospective focusing on some of Dog's
toughest cases, this DVD release also includes six episodes from the show's most
recent season, which followed the Chapmans as they headed out looking for bad
guys both in Hawaii and Colorado. Here's what you're in for:

First and foremost, you should know that in terms of pace and action, most
of these episodes differ quite strongly from what we're used to seeing in
earlier seasons. Tracking down his fugitives isn't as nearly as tricky for Dog,
with several of them literally just sitting at the first address the Chapmans
hit, which does not exactly boost the show's entertainment value. Gone are the
speedy pursuits and hardcore arrests, and gone is the suspense surrounding how
fast Dog can catch his fugitives or how long they can outrun him.

Essentially, the only compelling episode on this disc is
"Facebooked," in which Dog and his posse are out looking for a
criminal without knowing what he even looks like. Much to Dog's surprise, it's
through the popular social networking site that they score a few clues as to who
the fugitive is and where he may be hanging around. Even the arrest proves a bit
rough. Sadly enough, it's the only episode boasting any memorable twists and
thrills.

What saves this release from disaster is the "Best Of" special, a
45-minute retrospective filled with interviews and footage from some of Dog's
hottest missions. Although this bonus feature may not offer diehard fans of the
show any new footage, it gives the Chapmans a chance to look back at some of
their two hundred episodes and comment on how challenging their job can be at
times. Plus, this piece also provides another quick glimpse at what life is like
for the Chapmans when they are not out bounty hunting. It's without a doubt a
solid homage to the series as a whole.

Picture quality and sound do the job. Let's not forget this is a rough
reality show about bounty hunters, which means occasionally grainy images are
totally okay. If anything, this look just adds to the realistic feel of the
whole thing. No complaints in terms of technical aspects.

This Family Means Business fails to pack a punch, a release that
isn't nearly as intriguing or memorable as some of its predecessors. I can only
hope A&E will up the ante a bit with any future Dog the Bounty Hunter
DVDs. I'm absolutely sure this family means serious business, but to keep going
strong, this business still requires the amount of action and energy that made
it so successful in the first place.

The Verdict

Better watch out, Dog. You're guilty this time!

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